REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Governor of Bank Indonesia Agus Martowardojo has said that the issuance of new editions of the rupiah, featuring pictures of 12 national heroes, contained five meanings. "Firstly, the government put the phrase of the unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) on the rupiah as a symbol of the sovereignty of Indonesia," he said.

Secondly, he remarked on the use of the rupiah as the sole currency of payment instruments in Indonesia. "The use of foreign currency is not in line with the spirit of nationalism. The violation can be prosecuted and penalized, except for transactions that are allowed by the law," he said.

Thirdly, Bank Indonesia has the responsibility of publishing and circulating the rupiah in an attempt to meet the country's needs. "Fourthly, the rupiah must be maintained by Indonesian people as the currency becomes a symbol of national sovereignty," he affirmed.

Then, he stated that the government featured national heroes, and characteristic cultures of various regions in Indonesia on the rupiah. "There are traditional dances, Indonesian landscapes, national heroes on rupiah. The picture of national heroes becomes a tribute to them," he pointed out.

President Joko Widodo earlier inaugurated the new editions of the rupiah currency featuring the pictures of 12 national heroes. "In every rupiah, we show pictures of national heroes, traditional dances, and Indonesian landscapes, as a form of the love of culture and the characteristics of the Indonesian nation. Therefore, I invite every person in the country to continue to love the rupiah in real ways," Joko Widodo said, while inaugurating the launch of the new notes and coins here on Monday.

The new notes are the Rp100,000, Rp50,000, Rp20,000, Rp10,000, Rp5,000, Rp2,000 and Rp1,000, while the new coins are Rp1,000, Rp500, Rp200, and Rp100.

Indonesia's founding fathers Soekarno and Mohammad Hatta are featured on the Rp100,000 note while Djuanda Kartawidjaja and Sam Ratulangi are on the Rp50,000 and Rp20,000 notes, respectively.

Additionally, Frans Kaisepo, Idham Chalid, Mohammad Hoesni Thamrin, and Tjut Meutia are featured on the Rp10,000, Rp5,000, Rp2,000, and Rp1,000 notes.

Other national heroes featured on the new coins are I Gusti Ketut Pudja, TB Simatupang, Tjiptomangunkusumo and Herman Johannes.

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